Lakeport >> The City Council voted Tuesday night to place 1-cent sales tax for voter consideration in the November election.
If enacted, Measure Z would generate an estimated $1.5 million annually that would go to public safety services and repair deteriorating roads and public infrastructure, deputy city clerk Hilary Britton said in a press statement on Wednesday.
“We are pleased to place this issue on the ballot for consideration by the community,” city manager Margaret Silveira said. “Lakeport is the heart of the county, with 30,000 living, working or visiting each day, but we just don’t have the funding to repair potholes, maintain parks and patrol neighborhood streets. This measure could maintain the quality of services Lakeport residents want and deserve.”
Britton said priorities identified in a community survey in the spring by Lakeport residents included paving and repairing streets and sidewalks; maintaining police responses to violent and property crimes; and attracting quality police officers. Funding from Measure Z is intended to support all of these services.
“Due to budget cuts, Lakeport cannot fully staff our police force,” Silveira said. “We must continue to hire and retain quality police officers to reduce emergency response times, improve neighborhood patrols and keep our communities safe.”
Adding “We must continue to identify reliable sources of local funding that Sacramento cannot touch — where all funds stay local.”
